A decade ago, padel was a niche sport played in a handful of countries. Today, it’s a global phenomenon. The numbers tell the story.
58,000+ Courts and Growing
The Global Padel Report 2026 confirms what players and facility owners already feel: padel is no longer a trend — it’s a consolidated global industry. In 2025 alone, nearly 8,000 new courts were built worldwide, bringing the global total to 58,334 courts — a 16% year-over-year increase. More than 19.4 million people now play padel globally.
Growth is spreading beyond traditional strongholds. France, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States are all emerging as key growth markets. Spain remains the world’s largest market, but the focus there has shifted from building new courts to premiumisation, maintenance, and asset optimisation.
Padel Goes Global — and Olympic
2026 marks a turning point for the sport’s international recognition. Padel will award medals at multiple major multi-sport events this year: the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, the XIII South American Games in Argentina, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, and the Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games in Riyadh.
FIP President Luigi Carraro recently attended the European Olympic Committees General Assembly, reinforcing padel’s path toward closer integration with the Olympic family. The sport debuted as a medal event at the 2023 European Games and will return for the 2027 edition in Istanbul.
Women’s Padel Takes Centre Stage
In a landmark moment for the sport, Qatar Sports Investments led a high-level event at the United Nations in Geneva, championing women in sport and the professionalisation of women’s padel. The event, held during the 62nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council, featured professional Premier Padel players and brought together senior leaders from international institutions.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, Chairman of Qatar Sports Investments and Premier Padel, highlighted that Premier Padel has “transformed the professionalism, globalisation and exposure of the women’s game” in just a few years. The economic sustainability of women’s padel remains a priority.
Qatar to Host 2026 FIP World Cup
Adding to the momentum, Doha has been confirmed as the host city for the 2026 and 2028 FIP World Cups. The 2026 edition will take place from 2 to 7 November at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, featuring 16 men’s and 16 women’s national teams. The prize fund reaches a record €1.2 million, distributed equally between men and women — the highest amount ever awarded in a padel competition.
The Bottom Line
Padel in 2026 is no longer a niche curiosity. It’s a multi-billion euro industry with professional tours, world-class events, and a clear path toward the Olympics. For facility owners, developers, and investors, the opportunity has never been bigger.
ART Padel — built for the sport’s next chapter.
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